Carriers of this type are used in particular for LED display modules, which can be realized for example as LED backlight displays. LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) have a long useful life, a small constructive size, and a high degree of efficiency in the conversion of electrical energy into light. In addition, LEDs are distinguished by a lack of sensitivity to impacts and vibrations, which is a significant advantage in particular for applications in motor vehicles.
Nonetheless, against the background of constant progress in increasing efficiency, and the associated high power drain in LEDs, heat loss has to be dissipated in order to prevent overheating and thus functional impairment or even destruction of the LEDs. The display panels of the display modules are also sensitive to heat. Through the action of heat, their display characteristic can change, and their useful life can be shortened.
In order to dissipate the heat loss that occurs during operation of display modules, various designs are known. Standardly, the lost heat from LED elements is dissipated to a metallic cooling element. Thus, in display modules it is known to dissipate the heat arising at the LEDs directly via the display housing. The display housing, usually made of steel or aluminum plate, here acts as a heat sink.
It is also believed to be understood to dissipate the heat to external cooling elements via so-called heat pipes.
Patent document US 2004/0100769 A1 discusses a cooling device for light valves. Light valves, which can be used for example as an electrically controllable diffraction grating for producing images in projectors and monitors, are here fastened on a side of a circuit board by a carrier frame. On the other side of the circuit board there is provided a cooling device having a base plate from which a projection extends, through an opening in the circuit board, up to the light valve in order to absorb its heat loss. On the rear side of the base plate of the cooling device, there is provided a large number of cooling ribs situated parallel to one another, surrounding a ventilator. The ventilator produces an air stream that flows past the cooling ribs in order to dissipate the heat.
A carrier for a display module of the type named above is discussed in JP-2003173147 A. Here, a display module is accommodated in a housing that to this extent acts as a carrier. The housing has an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening via which an airflow can be directed through the housing in order to cool the display and to dissipate heat. Here, the airflow in the housing is guided through an air duct that is fashioned between a circuit board and reinforcing ribs provided on the rear side of the display module.